Ark US Scholars Programme

About the Ark Schools Programme

Ark is an international education charity, transforming lives through education. Ark exists to give every young person, regardless of their background, a great education and real choices in life. In the UK, Ark is a network of 36 schools, educating around 24,000 pupils in areas where Ark can make the biggest difference: London, Birmingham, Portsmouth and Hastings.

Interested in the Ark programme? Call one of our representatives now on +44 20 3893 3553 or click the button below to provide us with more information about your request.

Programme Context

Underprivileged pupils do not have access to the same opportunities as those from more affluent backgrounds. They are disadvantaged in a highly competitive marketplace as they apply to university, pursue a career of their choice, and seek to participate in their communities and in the world as thoughtful and responsible citizens. It is difficult enough for these young people to obtain a university education here, but the barriers to entry for study in the US are prohibitive. The system is foreign, the tests required do not necessarily match what they are taught in school, the costs of applying are overwhelming and navigating the financial aid system is near impossible. For the right students, the right guidance makes all of this achievable.

The opportunity to study at a US university offers pupils the flexibility of obtaining a liberal arts degree (versus the specialisation demanded by UK institutions), the breadth of 4,500 universities (including 19 of the 25 top ranked universities by Times Higher Education), international exposure which is highly valued by UK employers, opportunities to pursue academics and athletics at the highest level and the advantages of strong alumni networks. Additionally, in the face of rising tuition fees at UK universities, the opportunity to take up a place at a top-tier US university with strong financial support is invaluable.

The Programme

In the summer of 2014, Ark Schools and A-List Education UK launched an innovative programme to work with Ark Academy Sixth Form students seeking the transformative experience of pursuing a university education in the United States. Our pilot programme included two students from the Burlington Danes Academy in West London and we saw immediate success with one student receiving a full scholarship to attend Harvard University and the other receiving a Presidential Scholarship to USC. In 2018, another Burlington Danes Academy student received a full scholarship to study at MIT.

Ark Schools and A-List Education UK partnered to help realise the transformational opportunity of a US college education for our pupils. The programme’s objectives are to:

Equip motivated ARK Schools pupils with the educational resources and the support network to gain access to leading US universities with financial aid packages

Develop a sustainable and scalable US university track across the ARK Schools network

Inspire state school pupils in England to apply to US universities

The Ark US Scholars Programme features:

Intensive SAT and SAT Subject Test instruction to prepare students for tests in the spring and autumn

A personalised US college list of around seven universities offering financial aid organised into reach, target and safety schools

Support to complete the Common App, personal statements, essays and essay supplements and financial aid documents

Support for the schools with their requirements (references, transcripts etc.)

Support for parents to complete the financial aid requirements and become familiar with the US university system

Athletics consulting where applicable

The selection criteria for the programme reflects that of a US university, including:

From Our Tutoring Clients

A-List’s tutors are excellent. The A-List Book of Knowledge textbook helped IMMENSELY, and condensed all the topics in very understandable ways. The college counsellors have many years of expertise in the field, and can help you find a range of schools that are tailored to your requirements. I would recommend getting assistance from A-List to anyone who wants to study in the USA.

—Muna P. +5 ACT points

Dear A-List’ers—I just wanted to let you know that, thanks to your effective SAT tutoring, my son was offered a place at Stanford in the early action round. We are thrilled! Thank you for helping prepare him for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests over the past 15 months. He found it incredibly valuable and effective.

—Parent of son accepted to Stanford

From Our Advising Clients

A-List provides excellent service and quite literally helps students achieve their dreams.

We use cookies on this site to improve your website experience and to provide you with personalized advertising. By clicking "OK" or continuing to navigate this site, you accept the placement and use of these cookies for these purposes.